Rahul, exhausted from a whirlwind twenty-four hours of flying, dodging touts, and a massive marathon photoshoot, slept until noon the next day.
Habitually reaching for his phone on the nightstand, he saw several notifications on his newly downloaded Line app.
Clicking them open, he saw high-resolution photos sent by Divya from the studio.
In the main picture, he had one hand resting firmly on Divya's waist, looking down at her with a sharp, intense gaze. Divya was tilting her head up slightly, looking back at him with eyes full of unguarded, burning affection.
Rahul couldn't help but feel a bit dazed. It didn't look like a fashion campaign; it looked exactly like an intimate, high-fashion couples' photoshoot.
Seeing that the 'Read' receipt had triggered, Divya immediately sent him another message.
"Rahul, my ankle is feeling much better today. I'm going to come pick you up, and we can go out for a drive. Are you free?"
After pressing send, Divya watched her screen, feeling inexplicably nervous. This was the first time she had ever been so proactive in messaging a man just to spend time with him. She was stepping entirely out of her comfortable, highly structured corporate zone.
Seeing the message, Rahul smiled and replied immediately:
"Sure, come pick me up. My hotel is the Siam Space on Soi 8."
"Okay. I'll be there in thirty minutes."
After switching out of Line, Rahul opened Instagram and replied to the girls back in Dhaka, letting them know he had safely arrived in Thailand and was settling in.
He then went to the bathroom to wash up. He applied a touch of styling wax, combing his hair back into the sharp, slicked-back style from yesterday. He changed into the dark polo and gray trousers that Divya had practically designed around his body, grabbed his DJI camera, and headed downstairs.
Just as Rahul stepped out of the lobby doors, he saw the sleek black Porsche Panamera pulling up to the curb.
Seeing Rahul approach, Divya pushed open the driver's side door and stepped out.
Today she was wearing a pristine white, long-sleeved lace-trimmed blouse paired with high-waisted black silk trousers. The outfit was a perfect blend of professional and casual chic; the high-waisted design highlighted her insane waist-to-hip ratio and made her legs look miles long. Standing in the midday Bangkok sunlight, her slender, swan-like neck seemed to glow.
As expected, when a woman is naturally breathtaking, anything she wears looks like high fashion.
"Rahul, you drive," Divya said, her sharp phoenix eyes curving into beautiful crescent moons as she smiled.
"Always happy to be the chauffeur," Rahul agreed, sliding into the driver's seat.
After Divya sat in the passenger seat, she proactively reached out and took the camera from his hand. "Let's go. Today I'm going to take you to a place with incredible scenery."
As Rahul turned the steering wheel and merged into the traffic, he suddenly spoke up: "Miss Divya, I have to be honest."
"What is it?" she asked, looking over.
"No matter how beautiful the scenery is where we're going, it can't possibly compare to how stunning you look today."
Divya froze, clearly stunned by the sudden, smooth compliment. When she finally reacted, she covered her mouth with a delicate hand and laughed genuinely.
"Rahul, do you use these cheesy lines on every girl you meet to make them happy?"
"Cheesy? Have you really never heard lines like that before?"
"Never. The men I deal with usually just talk about stock portfolios or their fathers' companies."
"Well, then I have a whole arsenal of them to tell you today!"
Rahul pressed the accelerator, and the Panamera roared as it cut through the vibrant, chaotic streets of Bangkok.
Along the way, Rahul unleashed a barrage of classic, slightly corny Indian pickup lines, translating the humor perfectly into Thai. Who would have thought that the cheesy lines boys used outside colleges in Mumbai would be so devastatingly effective abroad?
Divya had never heard such playful, unapologetic flirting before. For the next twenty minutes, she was laughing uncontrollably. Her usual "Ice Queen" persona vanished completely, replaced by the image of a cheerful, relaxed young woman enjoying the ride.
It had to be said—the sheer confidence of an Indian guy shooting his shot transcends borders.
Finally, under Divya's direction, Rahul parked the Porsche at a private pier on the banks of the mighty Chao Phraya River.
"Rahul, have you ever really seen the Chao Phraya River before?"
"Not really. When I came on a cheap tour package years ago, we just got herded to the Grand Palace and some overpriced shopping outlets."
"Then today, I'll take you on a proper tour of the river."
As she spoke, a traditional Thai long-tail boat, beautifully carved and decorated with colorful ribbons, slowly approached the wooden dock.
Divya pointed at the slender boat with its high-pointed bow and said excitedly: "I've wanted to ride one of these authentic boats for so long, but I never dared to go alone. It didn't feel right. Rahul, come with me!"
Faced with the eager invitation of a stunning woman, Rahul had zero reason to refuse. Since Divya's sprained ankle was still a bit tender, he firmly gripped her waist and carefully helped her step onto the swaying boat.
They sat down on the wooden benches, Divya sitting right in front of him. Rahul pointed his camera at her back to capture the vlog.
The old boatman yanked the pull-cord on the massive, exposed engine block at the back. It emitted a puff of black smoke and roared to life, violently propelling them away from the pier.
The sudden, powerful thrust of the engine caused Divya to lose her balance. With a small yelp, she fell straight backward into Rahul's arms.
But she didn't scramble to sit back up. Instead, she leaned comfortably into his solid chest and looked affectionately at the camera lens he was holding.
As the boat accelerated, the strong river wind blew Divya's hair back, making her nestle even closer against him. The long-tail boat sped along the wide Chao Phraya River, kicking up a cooling spray.
With the roar of the engine and the wind in her face, Divya felt a sense of absolute freedom she hadn't experienced in years. Leaning back into Rahul, she felt an unprecedented, grounding sense of security. At this moment, there were no profit margins, no board meetings, and no corporate targets in her mind; she only wanted to close her eyes and enjoy this rare, perfect peace.
Slowly, Divya spread her arms wide, facing the wind, and let out a joyful, unrestrained shout, releasing all the crushing pressure from her body.
Rahul held the camera steady, faithfully recording this beautiful, cinematic moment.
Suddenly, the river bent, and a colossal, shimmering golden statue appeared towering over the city skyline.
Divya pointed at the giant figure and shouted excitedly over the engine: "Rahul, look! The Great Buddha of Wat Paknam! Quickly, make a wish!"
As she spoke, Divya closed her eyes and pressed her palms together, making a wish with deep solemnity.
The boatman slowed down, allowing Rahul to capture the majestic, towering golden Buddha perfectly in his lens.
"I hope my brand becomes a global success, and that I can open Santiya stores in every major city in the world!" Divya announced proudly after opening her eyes. She turned to look at him, her eyes bright. "Rahul, what did you wish for?"
A relaxed smile appeared on Rahul's face. "I wished that my vlogging channel becomes massively successful, and that my parents back in India stay happy and healthy."
"It definitely will!" Divya said, clenching her fists with adorable firmness.
"I'm taking you to a hidden riverside cafe where you can see the absolute best sunset over the Chao Phraya! I never had the time to go before, but today, I'm finally checking it off my list! Driver, speed up!"
The boatman twisted the throttle again, and the boat shot out across the water like an arrow, causing Divya to let out another cheerful laugh.
Ten minutes later, Divya and Rahul were sitting at a long, rustic wooden table on the open-air deck of a beautiful riverside cafe.
The sun was gradually setting, casting brilliant rays of orange and pink over the broad river and gilding the water's surface in liquid gold.
Divya rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly, mesmerized by Rahul's profile.
"Rahul... take a picture of me."
Rahul raised the camera, capturing her exquisite face perfectly framed by the rouge-colored sunset behind her.
A gentle evening breeze brushed past the tips of her hair, carrying the soft scent of her perfume. The rhythmic sound of waves lapping against the stone pillars reached their ears.
Looking at the breathtaking woman sitting before him, bathed in the golden hour light, Rahul couldn't help but feel intoxicated.
Unconsciously, without a word spoken, they leaned across the table. Their heads drew closer and closer. At this moment, even the ambient acoustic music in the cafe faded away.